PREVIEW-Soccer-Chelsea, Bayern bid for glory in unexpected final

May 16, 2012|Reuters

By Mike Collett

LONDON, May 17 (Reuters) - When the draw for the laterstages of the Champions League opened the way for Barcelona andReal Madrid to meet in the final in Munich, not many peoplewould have placed their bets on one involving Bayern Munich andChelsea.

The prospect of a dream El Clasico played out between theSpanish giants in Munich seemed highly likely, if notinevitable.

But German club's semi-final penalty shootout win over Realand Chelsea's heroic rearguard action in Barcelona has producedan intriguing showdown to an unpredictable competition.

Bayern's dreams of lifting the trophy in their home stadiumhad been at the top of their agenda since before the start ofthe season.

Chelsea's billionaire Russian owner, Roman Abramovich hashad his eyes on the trophy since he bought the club in 2003,although even he must have thought the chances of lifting itthis season were slight as their campaign appeared todisintegrate under coach Andre Villas-Boas.

But after Villas-Boas was sacked in March and replaced bycaretaker Roberto di Matteo, Chelsea's season came alive andthey find themselves on the brink of being crowned Europeanchampions for the first time.

LOWEST POSITION

However, they did not recover their league form sufficientlyto finish in the top four and ended sixth, their lowest positionfor a decade, which means if they fail to win on Saturday, theywill not be in the Champions League next season.

It is one of the reasons Di Matteo's future is still indoubt, although he said at his first pre-final news briefing onMonday: "I am not thinking about myself.

"What is at stake is that we have a chance to bring theEuropean title home for the first time in this club's history -and that's all that is important.

"We go into the game with the quality and experience to winit. I have the motivation to do something extra-ordinary forthis club. This will be a one-shot chance and with all theproblems we have with injuries and suspensions it's causing me aheadache."

Chelsea will be without suspended captain John Terry, fellowdefender Branislav Ivanovic and midfielders Ramires and RaulMeireles. Defenders Gary Cahill and David Luiz could be fitafter injury but midfielder Florent Malouda is 50-50.

Bayern have home advantage but go into the game after losing5-2 to Borussia Dortmund in the German Cup final last weekendand also have three players suspended - defensive midfielderHolger Badstuber, and midfielders David Alaba and Luiz Gustavo.

Only two sides have lifted the European Cup at home: RealMadrid in 1957 and Inter Milan in 1965, and the last team toplay at home - AS Roma in 1984 - lost on penalties to Liverpool.

PROGRESSED STEADILY

Back in the summer club bosses feared even getting to theAllianz Arena for the showdown would be a long shot after theywere drawn in the "group of death" as club CEO Karl-HeinzRummenigge called it alongside Manchester City, Villarreal andNapoli.

Few would have thought it would be Bayern and Napoli thatwent on but Bayern progressed steadily under Jupp Heynckes, inhis third spell at the club and winner of the Champions Leaguetitle with Real Madrid in 1998.

Advancing in the Champions League proved an easier task thanimagined, but an injury to Bastian Schweinsteiger and a loss ofform for winger Arjen Robben spelt trouble after the winterbreak as champions Dortmund galloped away in the league withBayern dropping to second place.

Their domestic loss of form, however, did not spill overinto the Champions League with the Bavarians crushing Basel 7-1on aggregate to book their quarter-final spot.

Another devastating performance against Olympique Marseille,where they won both legs 2-0, set up a mouth-watering semi-finalagainst nine-times winners Real Madrid.

"We have eliminated the Spanish champions and the Englishchampions," said Bayern sports director Christian Nerlinger thisweek. "We have dominated in this competition and this finalovershadows everything else," he said as Bayern hope for a fifthEuropean Cup success on a glorious night - at home.